Plumbing contractor insurance renewal checklist

Renewal is the one moment a year your broker is paying close attention to your account — use it. Walking this list before signing avoids discovering a coverage gap the week you actually need to file a claim.

Coverages to confirm

General liability — third-party injury and property damage, including water damage claims from a failed repair, which are common enough in plumbing work to deserve specific attention at renewal. Confirm limits still match your largest active job, not your typical job.

Workers’ comp — required in nearly every state for employers with employees, and plumbing’s injury profile (confined-space work, lifting, exposure to wastewater) means a misclassified job code can mean a costly audit adjustment later. Confirm classifications match the work crews are actually doing, not just their job titles.

Commercial auto / fleet — service vans need coverage that matches their actual use, including any endorsements for the tools and equipment carried inside; a standard commercial auto policy doesn’t automatically cover a van’s contents at full replacement value.

Errors & omissions / professional liability — increasingly relevant for contractors doing design-build or larger repipe jobs, where a design or sizing decision — not just a workmanship defect — could be the basis of a claim.

Equipment / inland marine — covers tools, cameras, and jetting equipment in transit or at a job site, which a standard property policy typically excludes.

Gaps that bite

Aggregate limit exhaustion. A general liability policy’s aggregate limit can be eroded by claims earlier in the policy year, leaving less coverage than expected for a late-year incident — ask your broker where the aggregate currently stands.

New equipment not scheduled. That sewer camera system or van financed last quarter — is it actually added to the policy, or still running on the old equipment list?

Subcontractor liability. If you sub out any portion of a job, confirm whether your policy or the sub’s policy responds first to a claim arising from their work — this is a common source of denied claims when both parties assumed the other’s policy would respond.

Questions for your broker

Ask what’s changed since last year, what isn’t covered, and whether your current limits still match your largest active contract — not your average one. Get the answers in writing.

Bottom line: renewal is a focused review that can prevent a five-figure surprise — confirm classification accuracy, aggregate limit status, and equipment scheduling before you sign.